“Περί ανέμων και υδάτων” Do you know scattered words and try to understand what your Greek friends say but in vain? Are you in Greece and you notice that people use to say something and mean something else? Maybe it is the right time to discover the playful side of modern Greek! So, let’ s […]

The cuckoo shouted. Is spring here? The cuckoo is in Greek tradition closely related to spring, just like the swallow. Both migratory birds leave Greece when the weather cools down and return back in spring. So, their appearance marks the passage into a new era and identifies the regeneration of nature. From there, the proverbial […]

The most widespread Greek “sea-expressions”! Language is not static. On the contrary, it is something that evolves over time, travels with us and is influenced by our habits. It is not a set of words and rules. It is a communication code and a way of exchanging information. Of course, it is related to society, […]

They are our companions in everyday life from the past up till now. Previously they lived together with people for practical reasons. Nowadays they are part of the stressful life that the city imposes on us and they make us relaxed with their playful games. And, as it is natural after so many years of […]

Modern cities: black and white life on a coloured background! The spirit of our times, expressed in the form of coloured shapes, images and signatures on concrete walls. Graffiti and Tags: a new form of art that has entered into our lives in recent years. Many find it unsightly. Many others again think it is an innovation. But […]

How well can someone know Greece? Whatever the answer is, it is sure that when in Greece one can always discover new hidden places that will surprise him. So, even if Evia is well-known, the small village of Antia remains unknown to many. But not to the linguists! Antia is hidden deep in the south-east […]

One of the most popular colours is black. As a colour, it symbolizes the absence of colours and also darkness, fear and death. It is a strict colour which inspires stability and seriousness. For all the above reasons, it is used mainly with a negative meaning in phrases and proverbs. Here you can find some […]

    © Lato / Credit: T. Zacharis “Grico“: the Greek dialect of South Italy. How possible is to hear Greek outside of Greece? Ultimately, it seems not so unlikely! The town of Castrignano dei Greci, as its name reveals, is located in Italy, south of the city Lecce. The strange thing is that its inhabitants speak […]

“It happens(-ed) of Popi” is a common expression used primarily in Greece to describe absolute chaos, panic or a situation which has gotten out of hand.  But where did this come from? And how did a tragic event become a story?  If you want to learn more Greek, see all our courses here! The “famous” Popi! […]

Winter  months Even if January changed many times his name in honour of various emperors, the official name January is of Latin origin. Janus was the Roman guardian of doors and also the god who protected the “new beginnings” or endings. He had two faces, one of which looked forward and the other backward. That […]

The fox is an animal well-known because of its beauty and cunningness. That’s why there are so many expressions in all languages and countries. In Greece some very common “fox- expressions” are:   1. “Τι κάνει η αλεπού στο παζάρι”; What does the fox look for in the bazaar? A cunning person never risks exposing […]

WhyFebruary has only 28 days instead of 30 or 31?
The folk version …

“Who payed the bride” & why?
When we use to say so? (more…)

Sometimes the language is revealing in the ways and possibilities that it gives us to express ourselves.

It’s not a secret, of course, that the pomegranate is connected with symbolisms and many more traditions around the world, also in Greece.

Common expessions with fruits & vegetables

A bit of wine, a bit of sea and my boyfriend … as an old Greek song says! No coincidence, of course, since wine is inextricably linked with the Greek tradition and diet. The fact that Greece was by tradition an agricultural society is certainly not without importance.